HOW TO SLEEP

You can't... Yes I have googled "how to sleep when you have a newborn" and no matter how many articles and forums I've read, I've discovered that you just can't expect to sleep. It's like you are setting yourself up for failure if you think you can get your newborn to do anything that resembles a schedule, let alone a sleep schedule. Some babies come out of the womb all sleepy and peaceful and perfect, while others make their grand entrance that can be heard from China... and as their lungs develop, can be heard from outer space. Every baby is different, so don't expect yours to be like mine or anybody elses.

Now as Desmond gets older, I've been starting to introduce a sleepy routine where I will sit in the rocking chair and sing to him before bedtime. He's too young to undersrand, but the sooner I start, the easier it will be for me to stick to it when it really matters down the road. Others have suggested making a warm bath, reading a story, and dimming the lights part of the bedtime routine as well. I'm starting off with something realistic and manageable for my A.D.D. and tendency to procrastinate. Whatever floats your boat.

Desmond is 5 weeks old now, and is starting to spend more of the day awake. Mostly crying and screaming, but sometimes I get an hour of cute adorable Desmond where he stares at me in awe and tells me with his big beautiful eyes that he loves me dearly. His naps are totally random, but I can tell they are starting to become more predictable. In order to keep my sanity, I try and nap at least once during the day when he naps. All I've heard from other moms is "sleep when your baby sleeps" but honestly, that's totally unrealistic for me. There are chores that I just can't let sit because I'm that obsessive. Yeah, I can go a day with not doing dishes, but I'm going to be just as tired tomorrow and as far as I know, this child needs my attention for the rest of my life so excuse me while I tend to my household duties so I don't have a shitpile of stuff to do all at once. But that's just me. Sleep whenever you want - or can.

I heard sleep gets better around 12 weeks... fingers crossed!